Sweet 16 Parties: Recession-Proof?

Posted on Mar 22, 2010

This is good news for the tiara-wearing teen set, perhaps bad news for humanity in general: According to the Los Angeles Times, business is brisk for that sparkly and slightly grotesque niche of the special-events industry that targets adolescents (and their parents, of course) looking to throw down in a big way for sweet 16 parties, quinceañeras and other brink-of-adulthood bashes. —KA

h/t to Celine Kuklowsky

Los Angeles Times:

People may be cutting back on weddings, but they’re still splurging on their teens, said Lisa Hurley, the editor of Special Events magazine.

“For many people, this is still a milestone event, and you want to give your child that important day,” she said.

Of course, there’s a little pride involved too. Have a 16-piece brass band and dancing ducks at your daughter’s party? There will probably be all that plus penguins tap dancing on bass drums at the next one you attend.

“It’s like the Olympics: Something that’s a perfect 10 one year is nothing the next,” said Rocky Whatule, entertainment specialist at Rock Star Event Entertainment. “It’s a prestige thing.”

Pretty sweet: In this still from his starring episode on MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16,” Justin Combs, son of pop-hop impresario and frequent name changer Sean Combs, rides to his 16th birthday bash with 2010’s answer to Apollonia.